OREGON STANDOFF FBI AGENT TRIAL:  OREGON TROOPERS, FBI AGENTS DISH THEIR STORIES IN COURT

"He seemed a little overboard with his emotions...almost seemed like a rookie to me."

Oregon State Police SWAT Trooper Bob Olson describes FBI Agent Joseph Astarita's demeanor at the site of LaVoy Finicum's killing during  Astarita's trial 7/31/2018

"They testified today in court that there were over 100 militia......That's completely false information.  That never even happened."

Jeanette Fincium (LaVoy's widow) speaking with talk show host Bryan Hyde 7/31/2018

A set of witnesses today was led off by Bob Olson of the Oregon State Police.  He was a SWAT trooper on the the scene right after LaVoy Finicum was killed on January 26, 2016 along Route 395 in Harney County, Oregon.

Olson recalls seeing 2 or 3 brass colored rifle casings by the side of an OSP truck that later disappeared.    Olson himself fired 4 40mm rubber tipped rounds at the back passenger side of LaVoy Finicum's truck because he said he wanted to break the window.

Later FBI Special Agent Ian McConnell was on the stand.   McConnell, not to be confused with the FBI informant Mark McConnell,  spoke with Astarita shortly after the shooting stopped and those still alive from Finicum's truck were arrested.

It was McConnell who heard from Astarita answers to his question about anyone shooting with phrases that sounded to him like this:

"Hey bro, I'm good"

"You don't got to ask me that"

McConnell described the response as a 'pet peeve' of his.

Another FBI agent Christopher Scott, detailed out different language than that and how he got involved in the conversation with Astarita explaining that administratively questions about firing shots could be asked.  Astarita replied to him regarding the matter:

"No, we're good"

FBI Agent W. Joseph Astarita is on trial for lying about firing two shots on January 26, 2016 during a "felony traffic stop" of Oregon Standoff protesters where LaVoy Finicum was killed by Oregon State Police and Ryan Bundy was injured apparently by Agent Astarita's bullets that he denies firing.

Whatever they were all saying, it appears that among all the law enforcement witnesses there was a pattern of justifying the violence that happened that day by continuing to spread the falsehoods and fantasy of a "militia" threat associated with the non-violent protesters they attacked that day.

That's the impression of LaVoy Finicum's widow, Jeanette, who spoke with a radio talk show host at the trial's lunch break.

In a video posted late yesterday (Monday July 30th)  Jeanette Finicum sees the defamation of her husband's character through the claim that he is a "militia leader" and so on coming not just from the responses of the witnesses, but from the questions of both prosecution and defense lawyers.    Its a process she described as:

"Demonizing"

"Label Lynching" 

Video link:  Jeanette Finicum 7/30/2018 Video

An FBI Agent named Lincoln Lukich recalled on the stand that Agent Astarita asked him in the aftermath:

"Have you seen anything on the ground?"

Tweeting from the trial "OregonLive" reporter Maxine Bernstein reported that when he was asked if that was odd Lukich answered followed by a look straight at the jury:

"I did not"

There is a fight going on in this trial between Oregon police and the FBI over what happened when LaVoy Finicum was killed and Ryan Bundy injured during the attack on the protesters of January 26, 2016.

This came out when FBI agents testified about one of them cussing at the OSP trooper who fired the 40 mm rubber tipped round at the first stop of LaVoy's truck.   The FBI Agent said his response to the shot was "WTF was that".    Another FBI Agent Justin Elkins called the shot "totally unexpected" and said it escalated the situation.

One could argue it scared LaVoy and the passengers in his truck, the use of that round of ammunition at the first stop.  It made them fear for their lives?  The shot was fired as the FBI was ordering Ryan Payne to get out of the truck.  Payne bolted and was arrested at the first stop while LaVoy sped off with three others inside.

OSP SWAT Trooper Bob Olson recounted his involvement in the arrest of Ryan Bundy and discovery of his injury.  Olson said he cut open Bundy's shirts as he was handcuffed on his knees.

He found what appeared to be a wound from a bullet entry.

Newly revealed dash cam video from an OSP vehicle showed Astarita walking over and appearing to look at Bundy's shoulder.  Astarita also knocked off Bundy's cowboy hat.

Olson said:

"Astarita smacked his hat off his head"

He went on to say that Astarita didn't need to do that.

Links below...….

Jeanette Finicum radio interview mid-day 7/31/2018 (starts at 31:05 into video)

Maxine Bernstein "OregonLive" story 7/31/2018


(EDITED, EXPANDED LATE JULY 31st)

TOMMY ROBINSON UPDATE:  DECISION APPEARS TO COMING TOMORROW

At 1030am tomorrow in London a hearing at set at the High Court (Court of Appeal) in Court Room 4.

A decision on Tommy Robinson's appeal is expected to be announced at that time.

Gerard Batten, UKIP leader, noted in a tweet recently that the court said it would have a decision by the end of July (today July 31st) but has failed to deliver by that deadline.

OREGON STANDOFF FBI AGENT TRIAL:  "OFFICER 1" DESCRIBES KILLING LAVOY FINICUM-SHOT HIM IN BACK

                              "I felt at that point I had to use lethal force...."

The still anonymous Oregon State Police SWAT Trooper ("Officer 1") testifies at FBI Agent                                                           trial 7/30/2018 in Portland

"Officer 1" (also described in the past as "Trooper 1") took the stand at the trial of FBI Agent W. Joseph Astarita in Portland today.  "Officer 2" (he has been called "Trooper 2") also testified.

"Officer 1" described his involvement in the killing of LaVoy Finicum and had to face the cross examination from Astarita's legal team which contended that he was likely the person who fired the two shots that Astarita did as the prosecution asserts.

Agent Astarita is accused of lying about firing the two shots.

Authorities in Oregon have kept the name of Officer 1, a veteran Oregon State Police SWAT Trooper who now holds the rank of captain, secret ever since his involvement in the homicide of LaVoy Finicum on January 26, 2016.

The trooper (Officer 1) said he fired three shots at Finicum's truck as it approached the roadblock.  He said he was trying to slow the truck down or force it off the road.

Then the SWAT trooper said he heard noises as he moved in the direction of the FBI agent (John Neidert who did not follow his instructions to go the other side of the road and quickly dove as LaVoy Finicum's truck went into snow near him.   The trooper said he was trying to "rescue" Neidert.

It was at this point that the trooper (Officer 1) was startled by two noises (the shots of the defendant, W. Joseph Astarita?) on his right side.

The trooper then moved out from behind Finicum's truck where the FBI Agent Neidert was sensing movement at the drivers side of the truck.   Another OSP trooper who's name we know, Joey Pollard, was in the trees nearby yelling at LaVoy.    The OSP trooper said that Finicum was defiant and angered.

As he described it, the trooper saw LaVoy Finicum reach for his torso several times and he said that when LaVoy reached for the third time it looked like he was going into his jacket pocket and was going to pull out a pistol and fire on himself and Trooper Pollard.

Then "Officer 1" the OSP SWAT trooper fired two shots at LaVoy Finicum and hit him in the center of his back.

"Officer 2", who is an OSP trooper with the rank of sergeant, said he fired one shot that also hit Finicum in the back.   "Officer 2" made the first stop of LaVoy and radioed ahead to "Officer 2" and the roadblock about LaVoy saying 'you will have to shoot me' as he continued on to meet Sheriff Glenn Palmer at a public meeting in Grant County.


Then "Officer 2" raced down the road at 70 miles per hour reaching the roadblock in time to get off a shot at Finicum.

Trooper Pollard, the third trooper at the scene of the shooting, drove both "Officer 1" and his fellow trooper now called "Officer 2"  home in the days after the shooting and it would be five days before investigators started to ask the troopers about what happened when LaVoy Finicum was killed.

On the stand, the trooper who killed Finicum testified that once it was all over he had self-doubts because of the unaccounted for round that hit the roof of the truck.

But once he knew there were 24 rounds of 29 left in his rifle with his memory of firing five that day, he told the Oregon investigators probing the killing of LaVoy Finicum:

"The FBI has a big effing problem, and this is serious"

"Officer 1" demonstrated in the courtroom how he loaded 29 rounds into his AR-15 rifle that day as part of his courtroom testimony.

After his testimony the killer of  LaVoy Finicum left the courtroom accompanied by two federal government investigators.

Something to think about.    Why are we having the OSP SWAT Troopers formerly called "Troopers 1 and 2" now being called "Officer 1 and Officer 2"?    An attempt to soften their image away from any militaristic or violent connotations of being called a "Trooper" like "Storm Trooper" or "Starship Trooper" etc. etc?

Meanwhile, trial observer Kelli Stewart noted in her video today that the 91 year-old US District Judge Robert E. Jones can be funny and likeable at times, but he is pale and falling asleep during the trial.

Maxine Bernstein in her reporting for "OregonLive" today tweeted that Judge Jones is rejecting the defense lawyers motion for him to follow his own pretrial order regarding the use of color coded figures from an expert witness for the prosecution.

Will any conviction in this trial be challenged on grounds of what I just mentioned in the last two paragraphs?

Kelli Stewart believes that Astarita will not be convicted of anything in the trial itself because reasonable doubt has been put in the minds of the jurors.

Speaking to a radio host in Utah yesterday at the lunch break LaVoy's widow Jeanette Finicum said she sees people trying to cover their tracks and justify the killing of LaVoy in the courtroom.

(Also, Maxine Bernstein of "OregonLive" tweeted last night about new previously unknown video from the dashcam of a state police truck that was used at the trial yesterday.   No details on what the video shows)

Links below...…


Kelli Stewart Video Report 7/30/2018


Maxine Bernstein Story "OregonLive" 7/30/2018

(UPDATED AND EXPANDED, EDITED LATE MONDAY JULY 30th)

TOMMY ROBINSON UPDATE:  HIGH COURT APPEAL WILL BE DECIDED THIS WEEK

Ezra Levant of "The Rebel" media reported on Friday that the High Court decision of Tommy Robinson's appeal will be released by the three-judge panel this week (Tuesday July 31st or Wednesday August 1st).

Robinson was arrested May 25th in Leeds, England outside of an industrial scale child sex abuse trial involving Muslim defendants (27 men and two women accused).  He was livestreaming when police arrested him accusing him of breaching the peace.

Within hours and with only a court appointed attorney in the court room (his legal counsel could not get there on such short notice) Robinson was sentenced to 13 months in prison convicted of "contempt of court".

There was a court imposed media blackout on his arrest-imprisonment for some 96 hours leading to the internet and social media being the alternate source of information about his case.

Tommy Robinson's arrest as a media person and the media blackout of his arrest was bad enough.

But now late last week there was a call by a British parliamentary committee for regulation of social media with claims of "Fake News" being spread through it.

Link below.....

Ezra Levant story "The Rebel Media" 7/22/2018

AL QAEDA CONNECTED SYRIAN 'WHITE HELMETS' HEADED FOR GERMANY, CANADA AND THE UK

"In the last few days, the United States President Donald Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and several others asked for our help in assisting hundreds of Syrian 'white helmets'.  These are people that saved lives and were found in life-threatening danger.  I therefore permitted their transfer through Israel to additional countries, as an important humanitarian step."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Statement of 7/22/2018

"The 400 people involved (a quarter of them said to be 'White Helmets') had been caught by the sudden collapse of Islamist jihadi rebels in a southern corner of Syria next to the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights.  

And, despite the defeated rebels being Islamist jihadi fanatics, they were mysteriously allowed to cross into Israel so that they could escape to Jordan.

Israel?  Such people normally regard Israel with violent hatred, a feeling Israel returns with interest....

Later the Jordanian government revealed that some of them would now be resettled in Britain.  Its spokesman announced that Britain, Germany and Canada made a 'legally binding undertaking' to resettle them 'within a specified period of time' due to 'a risk to their lives'.  Legally binding, eh?"

Peter Hitchens column  "Mail on Sunday" 7/29/2018

The "White Helmets" story that emerged in the last week or two deserved so much more attention than it actually got because it causes us to ponder what the real story of Syria's civil war in the last seven years really was.

It was shoved under the rug with the border crossing staged late on a Friday night into a Saturday morning.

What was really going on in Syria and why did all the countries of Western Europe, Canada and the USA invest in helping the Saudi Arabian backed jihadists trying to overthrow the Assad regime in Syria?  Why did Israel choose to get these kind of people out?

They were terrorists and fanatics who committed atrocities in their own right without the video cameras Islamic State used, people who required the women under their rule in "rebel held" areas to adhere to the strictest Islamic dress codes etc. etc.

Was it the Saudi $$$$ that talked to the Western nations and Israel in the end?  Was defeating Iran so important that Al-Qaeda was worth supporting?   The anti-Assad policy spans several US Administrations as I see it.     

Anti-Assad US cheerleaders include Hillary Clinton, John McCain and in more recent times Nikki Haley.   President Trump even joined in anti-Assad accusations on several occasions including his join news conference with the Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in February of this year.

Thank God the "White Helmets" aren't coming to the USA.  Perhaps President Trump is putting the insanity of trying to overthrow Syria's government with Al-Qaeda jihadists behind us.

But its way past time for the nonsense of the United States being aligned with Al Qaeda terrorists in the aftermath of 9/11 to end?

Is this about Iran?   After thousands died at the hands of Al-Qaeda on 9/11, have we had or do we have a foreign policy of the "Deep State" at the very least (hopefully not President Trump) involving the USA with the UK, European countries, Canada and Israel (really) to oppose Iran through alliance with Al-Qaeda-Saudi Arabia (15 of the 19 terrorists of 9/11 Saudi citizens)?

When its all said and done I still like Donald J. Trump being President of the United States because I've seen a pattern of talking to Russia and even talking to North Korea so I see the possibility of talking to Iran down the road.

Links below....

Jersualem Post 7/22/2018

Peter Hitchens column 7/29/2018

"TRUMP HITS THOSE THREE COUNTRIES" POST NEXTRUSH FREE BLOG 2/24/2018

(EXPANDED MONDAY JULY 30TH AM)

OREGON STANDOFF FBI AGENT TRIAL:  FBI AGENTS SPIN TALES SURROUNDING LAVOY FINICUM'S DEATH

"'Does it appear agent Astarita is holding his rifle?' federal prosecutor Gary Sussman asked.

'Yes sir',  B.M. replied.

'Is it aimed at Finicum's truck?'  Sussman asked.

'It looks like it's oriented towards the vehicle, sir,' B.M. said."

Maxine Bernstein "OregonLive" story 7/27/2018

The FBI HRT (Hostage Rescue Team) direct supervisor for accused agent W. Joseph Astarita only known by his initials "BM" testified Friday along with another agent John Neidert, who was part of Astarita's team.

Neidert remembers being ordered on January 26, 2016 to jump out of the way at the roadblock as LaVoy Finicum's truck approached.   There was fear of Finicum's truck driving into the roadblock-FBI agents there but Finicum went into the snow to get around the roadblock as it was his stated intention when stopped minutes before to continue into Grant County to a town hall meeting where Sheriff Glenn Palmer was waiting.

Neidert went right onto the same side of the road and into the snow (West) as Finicum's truck even though the order radioed to him and the other agents was to "bail out" to the left (East) from the highway.

Afterwards Neidert says Astarita was making comments to another agent that "he had saved me" and had "pulled me out of the snowbank".  Neidert said Astarita hadn't pulled him out of the snow under prosecution questioning, but figured his comments were in jest.

Agent "BM" testified he did not hear Astarita firing the two shots he's accused of lying about shooting in the direction of LaVoy Finicum's truck as it went into snow next to the roadblock, stopping and exiting the truck.

'BM TESTIFIED FOUR TIMES HE DID NOT HEAR ANY SHOTS FROM ASTARITA, BUT DID TESTIFY TO HEARING OTHER SHOTS FIRED AT THE SCENE.

"BM" admitted under prosecution questioning that based on the FBI drone video it appeared that Astarita's rifle was "oriented towards" Finicum's truck.

There was detailed questioning about the aftermath of the shooting with "BM" at one point responding to questioning as to whether he fired the two disputed shots from lead defense attorney Rob Cary with his response being "possible".  When a prosecutor asked if he fired the shots,  "BM's" response was "highly unlikely".

Also reported to be testifying Friday were the shooters-killers of LaVoy Finicum, "Officer 1" and "Officer 2" of the Oregon State Police.

"As I'm sitting there listening to these men describe my husband or the people that were involved as 'militia', armed terrorists basically, they didn't use the word terrorists, however they continued to say they were 'armed and dangerous'...the threat assessment that was given to the Oregon officials was tampered with and it was manipulated and was falsified..."

LaVoy Finicum's widow Jeanette Finicum reacts to what she is witnessing at the trial in a video posted 7/27/2018 on Facebook

The other FBI agents in Astarita's team are only known by initials in this trial and counsel for the FBI asked the judge, US District Judge Robert E. Jones, to ban any artists sketch of them.   He initially refused but later agreed to the FBI demand to ban sketches of the agents.

The trial continues in the week ahead and expected to last four weeks total.


Link below.....

LaVoy Finicum's widow Jeanette Finicum video 7/27/2018 on You Tube

(EDITED AND EXPANDED SATURDAY JULY 28th)

OREGON STANDOFF FBI AGENT TRIAL:  THE STORY BEHIND THE FBI'S VIOLENCE KEEPS COMING OUT

"Not to my knowledge.  I don't recall"

FBI Hostage Rescue Team agent Mike Ferrari explains when asked about the ammo magazine of his accused Agent W. Joseph Astarita claimed to have picked up at the scene

He was only known to us in the past by his initials, "MF", but today Michael Ferrari an FBI Hostage Rescue Team agent took the stand in the trial HRT member  W. Joseph Astarita, for lying about firing shots along US Route 395 in Harney County, Oregon on January 26, 2016.

Ferrari said there was no option of  assaulting vehicles but that the roadblock he was part of was designed to catch any vehicles that got away from being stopped.

Ferrari said it was hoped that FBI informant Mark McConnell would be driving the lead vehicle but it turned out the lead vehicle was the one driven by LaVoy Finicum.

He claimed marked vehicles were stopping the vehicles carrying the Oregon Standoff protestors, but LaVoy Finicum apparently saw no markings as he had to ask the armed men targeting him and his passengers with their laser lights who they were before he opted to speed away saying he was going to meet Grant County Sheriff Glenn Palmer.

Ferrari testified that he has nearly 18 years experience with the FBI's Hostage Rescue Team and was asked by the prosecution if HRT agents ever miss their shots and his answer was "Yes".   Lead defense lawyer Rob Cary claimed in his opening statement that if Astarita had fired the two shots he wouldn't have missed.

Agent Ferrari gave his view of what happened as Finicum's truck swerved to avoid the roadblock and got stuck in the snow.   He talked about hearing shots fired and claimed he saw Finicum reach once for his pocket and suspected there was gun there.

Maxine Bernstein of  "Oregon Live" reported apparently from Ferrari's testimony that Oregon State Police trooper Joey Pollard, previously known as "Trooper 3", was in his line of fire preventing him from taking shots at LaVoy Finicum.

Another aspect of the operation mentioned were the rubber bullets and tear gas fired at the truck after Finicum was killed, with Agent Ferrari expressing the suspicion that armed and dangerous people were inside.    They were all unarmed.  This is more of the mythology about "armed militia" and "militants" etc. etc.

Some very interesting questioning figured on what the group of five agents did after the shooting when they were shown on the drone video picking stuff up off the ground.   The prosecution believes it was about a search for shell casings but Ferrari spoke of a security check of the area for any missing items.  He denied participating in any cover up when asked by the defense (Attorney Cary).

He also spoke about Astarita mentioning picking up an ammo magazine of his from the ground under questioning, but then said he didn't recall getting the ammo magazine back from Astarita.

Agent Ferrari also said that later Astarita told him some rounds fell out of the magazine and he put them back in.

A prosecution expert witness Frank Piazza and the FBI agent who operated the drone camera that took pictures of the scene from a high altitude also testified.

LaVoy Finicum's widow, Jeanette, was also in court to continue to witness the trial along with others who support her and her quest for "Justice for LaVoy".   There are others outside the courthouse in support as well.

She is seeing the whole story of LaVoy's killing being played out including video clips every day at this trial.

Link below.....

Maxine Bernstein July 26, 2018 Story

(UPDATED LATE THURSDAY NIGHT)

OREGON STANDOFF FBI AGENT TRIAL:   JUDGE, PROSECUTOR, DEFENSE LAWYERS TALK TO JURY, FINICUM MURDER DETAILS REVEALED

"We're going to have to shoot LaVoy Finicum"

State Police radio message to "Trooper 1" who killed LaVoy Finicum as quoted by FBI Agent W. Joseph Astarita's lead defense lawyer Rob Cary

Senior US District Judge Robert E. Jones (Age 91) opened the trial of FBI Agent W. Joseph Astarita by telling jurors to avoid social media and telling them the case is about three charges related to lying against Astarita and not the killing of LaVoy Finicum, the Oregon Standoff protestor Jones called a "militia leader".  

The prosecution and defense presented opening arguments.

Assistant US Attorney Gary Sussman said the trial is about integrity "without which a law enforcement officer is nothing" and he also said "if you shoot, you own your shots".

Astarita's lead attorney, Washington DC lawyer Rob Cary, said that Astarita is the "best of the best" and contended "If he had shot he would not have missed".

The team of defense lawyers contended that Astarita was not the only one who could have fired the two shots and that Oregon State Police "Trooper 1" (his real name is still kept secret since he is one of LaVoy Finicum's killers) is mostly likely the real shooter.

To buttress the defense argument Cary quoted a state police radio message after the first stop of LaVoy Finicum's truck by the OSP when LaVoy said he was going to Grant County to meet Sheriff Glenn Palmer who was at the town hall meeting the Oregon Standoff protesters were headed for.

As Finicum sped away from the stop where he and others were laser targeted with red dots visible on their bodies, a trooper there radioed to one of the troopers who would eventually kill Finicum known only as "Trooper 1":

"We're going to have to shoot LaVoy Finicum"

Finicum had stated that he intended to continue to Grant County up Route 395 to meet Sheriff Palmer and said they would have to shoot him to stop him before leaving that first stop.

Prosecutor Sussman argued that Agent Astarita's approach to Ryan Bundy after Bundy exited the truck knocking off his cowboy hat and looking at Bundy's shoulder pointed to Astarita checking to see if one of his shots hit Bundy.   

Bundy still carries the shrapnel in his shoulder and an x-ray taken shortly after his arrest at a local hospital shows the shrapnel wound.

The former lead FBI Agent in Oregon, the now retired Greg Bretzing, testified that it was very unusual for the five Hostage Rescue Team FBI agents including Astarita to be searching through the snow disturbing a crime scene contrary to standard practice.    Drone video showed them doing this after Finicum was killed and the passengers of his truck were taken into custody.

It was an apparent effort by the five to recover the shell casings from Astarita's rifle.

An exhibit was presented at the trial.     It was the plan for the operation that ended up killing LaVoy Finicum and injuring Ryan Bundy.

It was called the "Malheur Wildlife Refuge Militia Operation Vehicle Interdiction Plan".

Travis Hampton of the Oregon State Police also testified.

There was a third witness.

An FBI agent involved in leading the operation at the scene, Scott Ward, called the Oregon Standoff protesters a "threat against America" according to LaVoy Finicum's widow Jeanette Finicum, who is watching the trial.

Links to Maxine Bernstein "Oregon Live" stories published Wednesday July 25th....

"OregonLive" trial story 7/25/2018

"OregonLive" new details about Finicum killing-shooting story

Link to Jeanette Finicum video about her experiences at the trial....

JEANETTE FINICUM VIDEO 7/25/2018

 (EDITORIAL NOTE: WHAT "MILITIA" JUDGE JONES, WHAT FACTS DO YOU HAVE TO BACK UP THAT ASSERTION, I SEE NONE THAT LAVOY FINICUM WAS A 'MILITIA LEADER)

(THIS STORY WAS POSTED LATE WEDNESDAY JULY 25TH AND UPDATED EARLY AM THURSDAY JULY 26TH)

                    NEWS SUMMARY AT THIS HOUR

President Trump tweeted tonight that all tariffs, barriers and subsidies should be dropped by both the European Union and the United States saying "That would finally be called Free Market and Fair Trade!"

European Union representatives are coming to Washington tomorrow to talk trade amid President Trump's demand that EU tariff barriers to US goods be dropped.  He is threatening US tariffs against EU nations until they comply with his demand.

CBS News reports that a law enforcement source tells them that Toronto mass shooter Faisal Hussain visited ISIS websites and may have expressed support for the terrorist group.   They are investigating whether Hussain lived in Afghanistan or Pakistan.

Canada's Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale says that at this stage there is "no connection between that individual and national security".    Hussain killed two and wounded 13 when he opened fire on restaurants and cafes in the "Greektown" neighborhood Sunday night.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for Toronto's mayor John Tory said the city council is considering a motion urging Canada's federal government to ban the sale of handguns and ammunition in the city.  Mayor Tory has questioned why anyone would need a gun in Toronto.

Israel shot down a Syrian military plane today.  The Israelis say the Syrian aircraft entered its airspace but the Syrians say the plane was conducting military operations against Islamic State aligned forces in the Golan Heights.

Syria accused the Israelis of helping the jihadists who are facing defeat as the last opposition force in southwestern Syria following major military victories for the regime of President Bashar Assad backed by Russian airpower.

Top Russian officials are visiting Israel talking about Syria's future.  Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov have offered a 100 kilometer or 62 mile buffer zone keeping Iranian forces away from Israel's borders.

Russia's embassy in Israel has denied reports that Israel has rejected their offer.

Brian Kemp, the candidate backed by President Trump, won the primary runoff for the Republicans tonight to be the GOP candidate for Governor of Georgia this fall.  Kemp defeated Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle by a wide margin.   He will face Democrat Stacey Abrams in the general election.

"A Remainer is in charge of Brexit now"....That's the reaction of "Mr.Brexit" Nigel Farage to British Prime Minister Theresa May's statement today saying she will personally lead the negotiations with the European Union to pull the UK out of the EU by March of next year.

May supported "Remain" in the 2016 referendum and supporters of Brexit already see her recently adopted position on Brexit as a sellout and a "Brexit In Name Only".

Wednesday is election day in Pakistan with national parliamentary elections and voting for four provincial assemblies.   A party led by a former star cricketer, Imran Khan, is trying to beat the party of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who is now jailed on corruption charges.

Many believe the military is behind the scenes manipulating the charges against Mr. Sharif and promoting an electoral victory for Mr. Khan.

Pop singer Demi Lovato is in a Los Angeles hospital following a heroin overdose.  The TMZ website says Lovato OD'd and was treated with Narcan at her home in Hollywood hills earlier today.  An aunt of the singer,  Kerissa Dunn, posted on social media that she is "awake and responsive".

An heiress to the Seagram liquor fortune, Clare Bronfman, is among four more people being charged in the federal criminal case against the Nexium (Nxvim) group.   The feds alleged Bronfman, daughter of the late philanthropist Edgar Bronfman, used her fortune to finance the group's operations.

It is alleged that the organization was a sex trafficking-forced labor group behind its public profile as a mentoring program.

Comedian Bill Cosby should be declared a "sexually violent predator" according to a Pennsylvania state assessment board.   It will up to a judge to determine whether the 81-year old Cosby will be classified according to the board's recommendation which would require him to register as a sex offender and undergo monthly treatment.

Cosby's sentencing hearing is set for September 24th in Norristown, Pennsylvania where he was convicted earlier this year of sexually assaulting Andrea Constand at his suburban Philadelphia home in 2004.

A jury was quickly picked this afternoon in Portland, Oregon for the trial of an FBI agent accused of lying about shooting at a pickup truck driven by Oregon Standoff protester LaVoy Finicum who was killed by Oregon State Police moments later.

Finicum's widow, who has filed a wrongful death suit in connection with his killing, is at the trial seeking justice for her late husband.  Protestors were outside the federal courthouse today but the supporters of LaVoy Finicum were kept out of the courtroom supposedly to allow the jury pool in for the selection process.

They only got in once the jury was actually picked.

The trial of W. Joseph Astarita starts tomorrow morning at 9am.

OREGON STANDOFF FBI AGENT TRIAL:  JURY QUICKLY SELECTED, TRIAL STARTS TOMORROW

A jury of 12 and two alternates, 10 men and 4 women, have been selected for the trial of FBI Agent W. Joseph Astarita.   The trial will start tomorrow morning in Portland at 9am.   The 12 member jury will consist of nine men and three women.

Astarita is charged with two counts of making a false statement when he lied to supervisors and one count of obstruction of justice in connection with his interview with Oregon police investigating the  law enforcement killing of LaVoy Finicum on January 26, 2016 along Route 395 in Harney County, Oregon in what was called a "felony traffic stop".

91-year old Senior US District Judge Robert E. Jones is presiding at the trial.  When some of the jury pool brought up issues like travel to Europe or childbirth coming soon the judge said these issues should have been dealt with sooner and he hadn't seen such a situation with a jury pool in his 55 years as a judge.

Some 85 potential jurors were in the pool from which the final 14 were selected after two hours of questioning in the courtroom.

When one potential juror said she would not follow a judge's direction if told to disregard testimony under a defense lawyer's questioning Judge Jones said:  "That's fine.  You're excused. Goodbye".

A prosecutor asked Judge Jones to remind those attending the trial they cannot wear any buttons, pins, shirts with insignia such as "RIP LaVoy Finicum" during the trial.  The judge said no one with such gear on will be allowed into the courtroom

Jury selection was moved at the last minute to 1pm in the afternoon from 9am apparently to avoid a protest outside the courthouse in support of  justice for LaVoy Finicum scheduled for the morning.

Protesters in support of justice for LaVoy were outside the courthouse well into the day, anyway.

When supporters of LaVoy and his widow tried to get into the courtroom today, they were unable to get in for most of the jury selection process because potential jurors filled the courtroom.

Supporters of LaVoy were concerned about their exclusion from the jury selection process and they only saw what was going on inside the courtroom once the jurors were selected.

The media was also excluded from most of the process with Maxine Bernstein of "OregonLive" able to get the judge to allow her in for part of the process.

Links below.....

.MAXINE BERNSTEIN OREGON LIVE TWITTER FEED


MAXINE BERNSTEIN NEWS STORY FOR 'OREGONLIVE" 7/24/2018

(UPDATED LATE TUESDAY JULY 24TH,  FUTURE POSTS ABOUT TRIAL WILL BE ON BLOG PUT NOT REPOSTED BY ME TO 'FREE REPUBLIC' UNTIL NEXT MONTH DUE TO VACATION,  "SPIRIDON" WILL ATTEMPT REPOSTS AT HIS CONVENIENCE)

OREGON STANDOFF FBI AGENT TRIAL:  PROTEST FOR LAVOY FINICUM OUTSIDE, JURY SELECTION DELAYED INSIDE

Yesterday's decision to delay jury selection to this afternoon in the trial of FBI Agent W. Joseph Astarita followed plans published online for a protest outside the Mark O. Hatfield Federal Courthouse this morning supporting "Justice for LaVoy".

There were still protestors outside the courthouse by mid day.

The FBI agent, now only faces three charges after Senior US District Judge Robert E. Jones threw two out last week related to lying in the wake of the shooting incident that killed LaVoy Finicum and wounded Ryan Bundy during the Oregon Standoff protest on January 26, 2016.

As jury selection begins prosecutors have retained a jury consultant while defense lawyers worry about any negative statements about the FBI and how they might influence potential jurors including those made by the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump.  

There's also concern about opinions related to the Oregon Standoff protest and the role of juries in trials with potential jurors being given a questionnaire.

LaVoy's widow, Jeanette Finicum, was reported by "OregonLive" as planning to be in attendance at the trial seeking justice in connection with the trial.   She and other members of the family have filed a  wrongful death suit over the actions of law enforcement including Agent Astarita.

                   NEWS SUMMARY AT THIS HOUR

The gunman in last night's mass shooting in Toronto has been identified as 29-year old Faisal Hussain.  Police say they have no motive.   His family says he had mental health problems.

Two were killed and 13 injured as Hussain, dressed in black, walked down a sidewalk through several blocks emptying clips of ammunition from his pistol and reloading before he was killed by gunfire.   Its not known whether he killed himself or was shot by police in an exchange of gunfire.   

Its Primary Election Runoff  Day in Georgia tomorrow.   In the Republican race for Governor President Trump has tweeted his endorsement of Brian Kemp and Vice President Mike Pence has campaigned with him.

His opponent, Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle, has the endorsement of the current Republican governor of Georgia, Nathan Deal.

The campaign contribution reports for the second quarter of this mid-term election year show the big names and big money behind the Republican and Democrat PAC's.

Leading the pack of big time money contributors is Las Vegas magnate Sheldon Adelson forking over 30 million dollars to help GOP PAC'S followed close behind by California billionaire Tom Steyer helping Democrat supporting PAC's with 29.4 million dollars from April to June.

The second leading supporter of the Democrat PAC's in recent months is none other than George Soros pouring in ten million dollars.

In Portland, Oregon tomorrow jury selection is set to begin in the trial of FBI Agent W. Joseph Astarita.   Astarita is on trial for lying in connection with a shooting incident that killed Oregon Standoff protester LaVoy Finicum and injured another protestor, Ryan Bundy.

Other members of law enforcement will testify at the trial but their names will be kept secret as they have been since the shots were fired on January 26, 2016 in eastern Oregon.  The family of Finicum and others who came under fire that day have filed lawsuits and are serving the anonymous law enforcement members in connection with the suits.

President Trump sent a tweet in all capital letters to Iran today including these words:  'WE ARE NO LONGER A COUNTRY THAT WILL STAND FOR YOUR DEMENTED WORDS OF VIOLENCE AND DEATH, BE CAUTIOUS!"  

Trump was responding to recent comments from Iranian President Hassan Rouhani that the United States would face the "mother of all wars" in a conflict with Iran.

On Sunday. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo denounced Iran's government in a speech to Iranian exiles in California as repressive, corrupt and hypocritical.  Pompeo said the US is applying diplomatic and financial pressure on Iran's government and urged European and Middle Eastern nations to join the United States efforts.

Satellite images of North Korea appear to show the dismantling of a key rocket site.

The monitoring group "38 North" believes that's what pictures of the Sohae site in northwestern North Korea are showing.

North Korea's ruler Kim Jong Un told President Trump at last month's summit meeting in Singapore that a site would be destroyed, but he did not say which one.

Raging forest fires have killed at least twenty people in Greece and injured more than 100.  The government has declared a state of emergency and is seeking international assistance.   

A search and rescue operation is underway for ten tourists who fled one fire in a boat.   The worst fires are raging near Athens.

Other European countries have sent planes, vehicles and firefighters.

Swimmer Ryan Lochte has been suspended for 14 months retroactive to May 24th by the US Anti-Doping Agency.

An investigation of Lochte began when he posted a photo of himself getting the IV on his social media accounts.   He was getting an IV that did involve any banned substances according to the agency and Lochte himself.

This is the second time the swimmer has been suspended.  He received a ten month suspension after an incident at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro when he and three other swimmers claimed they were robbed at gunpoint.

OREGON STANDOFF: DAY ONE OF FBI AGENT LYING TRIAL IN CONNECTION WITH LAVOY FINICUM MURDER

The first day of the trial for FBI Hostage Rescue Team agent W. Joseph Astarita is set for tomorrow (Tuesday July 24th) in Portland.

He is now charged with three counts related to lying about shots he fired at a roadblock as the truck driven by LaVoy Finicum, spokesman for the Oregon Standoff protest, swerved to avoid it.

Senior US District Judge Robert E. Jones threw out two of the five charges last week.

Astarita remains accused of one count of obstruction of justice and two of making a false statement (correction to previous post).

One last minute change in tomorrow's schedule.  Jury selection originally set for 9 am has been moved back to 1 pm.     Of 300 potential jurors summoned, 118 are expected in court tomorrow.

Part of the upcoming trial will be anonymous testimony by three Oregon State Police troopers including the killer-killers of LaVoy Finicum known as "Trooper 1", "Trooper 2" and "Trooper 3".

The other FBI agents who were with Astarita will also testify without their names being revealed.

The government claims its too dangerous to reveal their names.

There are countless police shooting incidents where the names are revealed.  I can't think of any other shooting incidents involving law enforcement in this country where names are kept secret.

The FBI agent (W. Joseph Astarita) is only charged with lying, not with attempted murder as he was shooting at Finicum's truck containing four people.  Its believed that Ryan Bundy, treated for a shrapnel wound revealed in an x-ray after the shooting, was injured by one of Astarita's bullets.

Federal prosecutors and Ryan Bundy could not agree on terms for surgery to remove his shrapnel for the investigation claiming Bundy made outrageous demands.

                    NEWS SUMMARY AT THIS HOUR

The Wall Street Journal/NBC poll shows President Trump's approval rating at 45 percent, up one percent from last month.  The President enjoys 88 percent of support among Republicans in the poll.  Its his highest approval rating in polling done by the Wall Street Journal/NBC.

A headline in Monday's London "Times" says "No deal on Brexit risks civil unrest, says Amazon".

The pro-Theresa May Conservative Party newspaper quoted the head of Amazon UK in the story speaking to a government minister at a business summit. 

 In a tweet late tonight, Breitbart UK's Raheem Kassam responded that "NO BREXIT" would lead to civil unrest.  He urged that the threatening of those who support Brexit stop and that the 2016 referendum vote for Brexit be respected.

Israel attacked targets in western Syria on Sunday.  Syrian and Lebanese media say the attacks occurred southwest of Hama.    Four Israeli jets reportedly fired missiles from Lebanese airspace. Some reports says the area targeted was a scientific research facility involved in chemical weapons research but others say it was a missile warehouse.  Members of the Iranian sponsored Lebanese group Hezbollah and Iranian Revoutionary Guards were reported killed.

The attack comes on the day that the Syrian "White Helmets" were evacuated from Syria through Israel.  The "White Helmets" have operated from rebel controlled territory with the support of foreign governments during Syria's civil war accusing the Syrian government of atrocities including the alleged chemical weapons attack in Douma on April 7th this year.

The group of 800 including family members were taken to Jordan through Israel with Israel saying the United States and United Kingdom along with other nations requested Israel's assistance.  Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau were among those asking for Israel's help.

The British government and European Union praised Israel's action.

The last opposition force still fighting the Syrian regime in southwest Syria is an Islamic State affiliated group that launched ground attacks seizing six villages over the weekend.

The Russian Air Force launched attacks against the jihadists over the weekend in support of the Syrian government forces.

Journalist Glenn Greenwald, writing for "The Intercept", says a deal is being cut between Ecuador's government and the British government that will force Wikileaks founder Julian Assange out of Ecuador's London Embassy and into the hands of British police.   There are fears that this is a prelude to Assange being handed over to US authorities.

Assange is likely to be prosecuted by the US Justice Department over publishing of various government documents.   The Democratic National Committee is suing Wikileaks for publishing DNC documents.

The man who used to be French President Emmanuel Macron's top bodyguard now faces five charges in connection with the May Day beating of a protester.  Alexandre Benalla posed as a police officer and was shown on video beating one protestor and roughing up another.

Vincent Crase, an employee of President Macron's political party, is also under investigation after he appeared in the video.

Its been revealed that Benalla was suspended for two weeks in May after the incident.  The French President has ordered a shake up of his staff.

Sir Tom Jones, the singing legend, was forced to cancel four shows last week because of a 'bacterial infection'.   The 78-year old Jones is very active performing in the UK and Europe plus being a judge on the British TV version of "The Voice".  A statement issued to the media on his behalf says Jones is determined to return to performing as soon as possible.

OREGON STANDOFF: FBI AGENT LYING TRIAL WILL SHED LIGHT ON FBI LED VIOLENCE OF JANUARY 26, 2016

"Acting upon reliable information, a federal deputation laid a deadly ambush"

"The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde" as recorded by Georgie Fame (1967)

It was indeed the work of an informant Mark McConnell,  one of at least 15 used by the FBI at the Oregon Standoff protest, that helped to set the stage for a massive FBI led "felony traffic stop" operation that ended up killing LaVoy Finicum and injuring Ryan Bundy on January 26, 2016 along US Route 395 in Harney County, Oregon.

Between the mainstream media and their own sources of biased information like former Bureau of Land Management Special Agent Dan "Kill Book" Love, there's no doubt a "Bonnie and Clyde" fantasy was in law enforcement minds about the Oregon Standoff protesters or a more 21st Century "domestic terrorist" delusion more likely.

The people travelling in the two vehicles that day were en route to John Day, Oregon in neighboring Grant County for a town hall meeting to discuss the US Constitution and non-violent means to retake land from federal control in the West.   

They had begun their protest in Harney County to "Love thy Neighbor" as in the Hammonds.  The Hammonds forced back to prison for a second time as terrorists for trying to protect their land by lighting a backfire.

Ammon Bundy has explained how after World War II the federal government moved in and set up the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge and began a process of step by step taking out farming and ranching and logging in Harney County.   Once thriving non-government business was replaced by government as the main business in a community drained of its previous prosperity now with over 40 percent of its workforce government employees.

Who controls the land is an issue that transcends whether Democrats or Republicans happen to hold the keys of power managing  the Western lands.  Even now Ryan Zinke, the Republican manager, is planning his "wildlife bridges" to interdict the ability of farmers and ranchers to make a living.

Bigger business interests from mining to recreation to big agriculture that fuel the political machine leave the small farmer and rancher on the outs.

And so the dirty deed was done of killing LaVoy Finicum and injuring Ryan Bundy.   Finicum gunned down by the Oregon State Police and Bundy wounded apparently by shrapnel from one of FBI Agent W. Joseph Astarita's bullets.

Presiding over the trial of Agent Astarita will be Senior US District Judge Robert E. Jones.  Jones was responsible for detention of those arrested in connection with the Oregon Standoff protest in 2016 and met with Ammon Bundy and his brother Ryan in a basement cell at the Federal Courthouse in Portland.

"He must be eighty years old" Ammon Bundy recalled as Jones looked at his prisoner list and told the Bundy brothers they were not going to be released, no bail no nothing.   It was as if the protesters were terrorists from Al Qaeda or something like that.

It turns out that  Judge Jones was born on July 5, 1927 (Age: 91).   He entered politics as a Republican, then quickly moved to the local, state and federal bench being appointed as a US District Judge by President George H.W. Bush (Bush 41).

He now holds "Senior Judge" status with a reduced workload.

Last week Judge Jones dropped two of the five charges against W. Joseph Astarita (one of making a false statement, one of obstruction of justice).  Astarita still faces three charges (one of making a false statement, two obstruction of justice)

Maxine Bernstein of "OregonLive" reports that 300 jurors were summoned for the trial and 118 will be available for jury selection Tuesday morning (July 24th) in Portland.   The 118 jurors will answer at written questionnaire when arrive at 8am and later prosecution and defense lawyers will question potential jurors in court.

Finicum's truck will be brought to the federal courthouse so jurors can view it and watch a government expert explain his bullet trajectory analysis to assert that one of Astarita's bullets hit the roof of the truck.

The Oregon shooting team that investigated the shooting, the Oregon troopers who were there including those involved in shooting the murdered LaVoy Finicum are slated to testify with the troopers using "pseudonyms" according to lawyer for the state of Oregon.


The FBI agent himself is listed as a potential defense witness and one of his lawyers says Astarita himself will make the call on that.

The whole process will allow the public to learn more about the events of January 26, 2016 and help with civil suits that are pending  including the Finicum family's wrongful death suit filed earlier this year in the Federal Court in Pendleton, Oregon.


Links below:

OREGON LIVE STORY 7/16/2016

EAST OREGONIAN ON FINICUM FAMILY WRONGFUL DEATH SUIT


(UPDATED AND EXPANDED THROUGH SUNDAY JULY 22ND PM)

                 NEWS SUMMARY AT THIS HOUR

Israel launched attacks on dozens of Hamas targets in Gaza tonight.   Israel's response came after weeks of provocative attacks involving rockets, mortars and even kites and balloons rigged to start fires upon impact in Israel.    The "last straw" were sniper attacks today with one killing an Israeli soldier.

Early Saturday morning Israel time a Hamas spokesman claimed that both sides have 'agreed to restore calm' according to Israel's "Haaretz" newspaper.

Federal and state investigators are probing the disaster on a lake near Branson, Missouri last evening.

Seventeen died when a duck boat capsized and sank during a violent thunderstorm that may have come up very suddenly with extreme wind conditions.

The names of the victims were released late tonight with nine of 11 members from an Indiana family  among those killed, according to KYTV in Springfield, Missouri.

There's a Friday news leak coming out about President Trump and a 2016 phone conversation with his former lawyer Michael Cohen, seized by the FBI as part of special counsel Robert Mueller's probe.

The conversation was about the notion of a payment to Playboy model Karen McDougal who was claiming an affair with Trump in 2006.   No payment was made by him to her but she did get a 150-thousand dollar payment from the National Enquirer's parent company for her story.

The Enquirer, which supports President Trump, did not publish the story.

Rudolph Giuliani, a lawyer for the President, is making it clear to the media tonight that no direct payment from Trump to McDougal was made and the recording shows that the President did nothing wrong.

A federal judge in San Diego is praising efforts of the Trump Administration to reunite children with families that all entered the United States illegally.    US District Judge Dana Sabraw, who ordered reunification with a July 26th deadline says:   "It really does appear that great progress has been made".

A local prosecutor in the German city of Lubeck is refusing comment on a mass stabbing attack that injured 14 people on a bus there today, some seriously.   The attacker was a 34-year old man described as a German citizen.  When his attack began the bus driver stopped so passengers could escape.

A smoking backpack was found in the bus containing a "fire accelerant".

A security aide to French President Emmanuel Macron was fired today.  Alexandre Benalla was involved in a storm of controversy when a video was released showing him posing as a police officer and beating a protester during a May Day protest.  Benalla is reportedly being held by police investigating the incident.

Some French media outlets report that the Interior Minister, Gerard Collomb, who asked for an internal police investigation into Benalla's activities, was aware of the video of his actions back on May 2nd.

The Bayer pharma company says its stopping sales in the USA of a permanent contraceptive implant called Essure.   Essure was withdrawn from sale in countries outside of the US following complaints about injuries.   

 Similar complaints were recorded in the US leading the Food and Drug Administration to issue an order in May that doctors must show women a checklist of risks before implantation of the device.

Bayer says weak sales led to the decision to withdraw the contraceptive implant from US market at the end of the year.

BUNKERVILLE STANDOFF:  DISGUST, DISMAY, OUTRAGE-THE REACTION TO TODD ENGEL'S SENTENCE

"Do we just allow these wicked men and women to trample upon our rights and to put our friends and neighbors in prison.   Is that what we do?  We just go home. Go back to our TV's and whatever else it is we do, our phones, ... our happy places"

Ammon Bundy Video 7/19/2018

"Today Trumps DOJ gave Todd Engel 14 YEARS for protesting"

Gavin Seim for Liberty Facebook 7/19/2018

"Todd is not the vile hatred-filled individual the prosecution has painted  He believed that he did what he was doing for the right reasons, and he believed that his participation was for the better good"

Todd Engel's Attorney Warren Markowitz 7/19/2018

When federal, state and local law enforcement in southern Nevada did a "threat assessment" about the Bundy family in the days leading up to the April 12, 2014 Bunkerville Standoff near Bundy Ranch, their  determination was that of a low level threat of violence with Bundy's described as people who would "get in your face" with their words but not commit acts of violence.

And in his reaction to the 14 year prison sentence handed down Thursday in Las Vegas to Todd Engel we got a taste of that from Ammon Bundy in his video message posted late Thursday night.

The jury that convicted Todd Engel didn't get a chance to see or hear about that threat assessment, they didn't get to see or hear about the federal government surveillance camera or snipers used around Bundy Ranch or the Bundy home in the days leading up to the April 12, 2014 Bunkerville Standoff.

Cliven Bundy communicated via media interviews the sniper threat that led Todd Engel and others to come exercising their Second Amendment rights in defense of the Bundy family.

They (the jurors) didn't get to see videos of the BLM agent taking down Ammon Bundy with a taser, shoving a relative (Margaret Houston) and assaulting in custody Mel Bundy who was shoved into stones until his face was pockmarked by them.  These were aggressive federal law enforcement actions that came before April 12, 2014

Neither did the grand jury that indicted Todd Engel and 20 plus others in connection with the Bunkerville Standoff.

Recently Ammon Bundy has been trying to reach jurors and grand jurors to let them know about the travesty they were led into by the federal "criminal justice" system.

But yet knowing all that, knowing that Todd Engel did not get a fair trial, US District Judge Gloria M. Navarro went along with the prosecutors and handed down a harsh sentence.

Ammon Bundy roundly denounced all the men and women involved as "wicked" ranging from the Democrat Judge Gloria Navarro to the Republican prosecutors Steven Myhre (praised for his work on the case by AG Jeff Sessions during a Las Vegas visit in July of last year) and Daniel Schiess.  Both men and the third prosecutor (Nadia Ahmed) operating under the authority of AG Sessions and his appointed US Attorney for Nevada, Dayle Elieson.

Attorney Warren Markowitz argued for Judge Navarro to throw out the charges and grant Engel a new trial to no avail.

Markowitz will appeal the sentence.

Links below.......

AMMON BUNDY VIDEO ON YOU TUBE

SUPPORT POLITICAL PRISONER TODD ENGEL FACEBOOK

(EDITED THROUGH SUNDAY JULY 22nd AM)

                     NEWS SUMMARY AT THIS HOUR

President Trump says he wants to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin again and discussions are underway for Putin to visit Washington this fall.

Trump tweeted today that he looks forward to continuing discussion started at this week's summit meeting with Putin in Helsinki.  The President tweeted a host of issues involved with Putin including Ukraine, North Korea and security for Israel.

Russian officials have arrived in Israel for security talks, that according to the "Instant News Alerts" Twitter feed from Jersualem.   Russian forces are playing a role in Syria as Syrian government forces re-establish control along the Golan Heights border.  

Large groups of opposition forces including Al-Qaeda jihadists surrendered to the Syrian government in the Quneitra region along the Golan border today.   Russian military police will help implement the surrender process.

Late word tonight from near Branson, Missouri that eight people are confirmed dead when a duck boat capsized on Table Rock Lake after a line of severe thunderstorms passed through the area.

Search and rescue operations are underway with the Stone County, Missouri Sheriff saying that 31 were on board the boat and seven have been taken to hospital.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell suddenly withdrew President Trump's judicial nomination of Oregon federal prosecutor Ryan Bounds to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals this afternoon.

Oregon's two Democrat senators vehemently opposed his nomination and refused any support, even procedural, for his nomination, but it was a lack of Republican support in the end that sunk the Bounds nomination.

Republican Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina objected to Ryan Bounds college writings about race issues, writing that Bounds apologized for.as part of his nomination process.  However, even after a meeting today with him, Scott said that he could not support the nomination.

In Las Vegas today, Todd Engel was sentenced to 14 years in prison in connection with the April 2014 standoff near Bundy Ranch in Nevada.   Engel was convicted in the first trial but by the third trial the prosecutors were told by US District Judge Gloria Navarro that they had engaged in "flagrant misconduct" by withholding evidence proving the defendants innocence.   Navarro dismissed charges against rancher Cliven Bundy, his sons and other defendants earlier this year.

But today she heard arguments of the same prosecutors to punish Engel who was convicted in his trial in April 2017 with the same evidence proving his innocence out of that trial.  Then she sentenced him to 14 years in prison.

Citing a source close to the investigation into the exposure of four people to the nerve agent Novichok in the UK, the British Press Association say police think they have two suspects they sure are Russians. 

Video camera footage was used to ID the suspects.   One person has died as a result of exposure that came from a bottle of perfume.  It is said that Dawn Sturgess's lethal dose came when she sprayed her wrists with the contents of the bottle.

A security aide to France's president Emmanuel Macron is suspended without pay for 15 days following release of video showing Alexandre Benalla attacking protesters during a May Day demonstration earlier this year.    

Benalla was at the demonstration as an "observer" but was seen on the video wearing a police helmet dragging a female protester with his arm around her neck and striking a male protester on his head and stamping on him as he fell to the ground pleading for the assault to stop.

Opponents of Macron say the punishment is too little and too late.

The head of Italy's state pensions agency lashed out at the leaders of Italy's new governing parties, the Five Star Movement and the League today.   Tito Boeri said he was threatened by the League leader Matteo Salvini and he accused Five Star leader Luigi DiMaio of being out of touch with reality.  

Boeri claimed mass immigration is needed to sustain Italy's pension system which caused Salvini to call for his resignation while Boeri, who was appointed by the previous mainstream center-left party government, has attacked the Five Star labor reform plan claiming it will increase unemployment.

For the second time in a row, a Swedish political poll shows the anti-mass immigration Sweden Democrats leading.   The latest You Gov poll taken July 13-15 shows the Sweden Democrats at 25.7 percent with 21.2 percent supporting the party that won the 2014 general election, the Social Democrats.

Swedes will go to the polls September 9th in a general election.

Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is dismissing mass withdrawals from an electronic records system called "My Health Record"   Australians have until October 15th to opt out of the system that would maintain their health records online.    Many are citing security concerns,

Turnbull told an Australian radio station it doesn't matter how many people are in the online heath records system, assuring listeners the system is safe.   But on the first day they were able to, 20-thousand people opted out.

If you to McDonald's tomorrow it will be Fryday.  For the remainder of the year customers who spend a dollar and use the McDonald's app will get a free medium order of fries every Friday.

McDonalds sees the promotion as a way to attract the next generation of customers who like to use smartphones.

Another sign of technological change is coming to Mickey D's as well, as of 2020 new digital ordering kiosks will be rolled out at all McDonald's locations in the United States.

BUNKERVILLE STANDOFF BREAKING: TODD ENGEL SENTENCED AFTER RIGGED TRIAL TO 14 YEARS

Today's hearing for sentencing of Todd Engel after his conviction last year in a rigged trial, the first Bunkerville Standoff trial, resulted in a jail sentence.

In the end Engel was given a 14 year sentence by US District Judge Gloria Navarro, even though his trial involved the rigged process of evidence proving his innocence being kept from judge and jury during his first trial.

The courtroom was filled with government law enforcement and supporters of Todd Engel with federal law enforcement reported to be playing the role of "victims" of the 2014 Bunkerville Standoff.

Additional reporting from this blog's "News Summary At This Hour" to  be published later tonight.

"IN LAS VEGAS TODAY, TODD ENGEL WAS SENTENCED TO 14 YEARS IN PRISON IN CONNECTION WITH APRIL 2014 STANDOFF NEAR BUNDY RANCH IN NEVADA. ENGEL WAS CONVICTED IN THE FIRST TRIAL BUT BY THE THIRD TRIAL THE PROSECUTORS WERE TOLD BY US DISTRICT JUDGE GLORIA NAVARRO THAT THEY HAD ENGAGED IN 'FLAGRANT MISCONDUCT' BY WITHHOLDING EVIDENCE PROVING THE DEFENDANTS INNOCENCE.

BUT TODAY SHE HEARD ARGUMENTS OF THE SAME PROSECUTORS TO PUNISH ENGEL WHO WAS CONVICTED IN HIS TRIAL IN APRIL 2017 WITH THE SAME EVIDENCE PROVING HIS INNOCENCE OUT OF THAT TRIAL.  THEN SHE SENTENCED HIM TO 14 YEARS IN PRISON"

Link below to Andrea Parker video report on sentencing via Ammon Bundy Facebook....scroll down to find video.....

AMMON BUNDY FACEBOOK FOR ANDREA OLSON-PARKER VIDEO REPORT FROM TODD ENGEL SENTENCING

                   NEWS SUMMARY AT THIS HOUR

In a late night vote, Israel's Parliament passed the "nation-state" bill also called the Nationality Law by a 62-55 vote.

The bill allows the state of Israel to encourage the establishment of Jewish only communities.  It was hailed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who said after passage: "This is a defining moment. long live the state of Israel!"

Arab members of the Parliament tore up the law after it was passed with opposition members saying it downgrades the status of Arabs in Israel.

The former British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson spoke from the back benches of the House of Commons in what was dubbed his "farewell speech" today.   Johnson said Prime Minister Theresa May was "dithering" about Brexit  but it is "not too late to save Brexit".

Johnson sat in the same spot that a resigned cabinet minister, Geoffrey Howe, did 28 years ago when he made a speech leading to the resignation of then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

"Mr. Brexit" Nigel Farage said on his radio show today that "I'd be perfectly happy for Boris to take over from May, I really would, or anybody else who actually believed in Brexit",

The appeal of British nationalist activist Tommy Robinson was heard by a panel of three High Court judges in London today.

Robinson was arrested May 25th while live streaming video outside a child sex grooming trial in Leeds involving Muslim defendants.   He was sentenced within hours to 13 months in jail and last month was moved to a prison with a large Muslim population where threats forced him to choose solitary confinement.

Robinson appeared by video link from his prison with the courtroom today and smiled as he recognized friends and family in the courtroom.

The judges will write an opinion which they said will be ready by the end of the month.

British singing legend Sir Cliff Richard has won his lawsuit against the BBC for invasion of privacy.

In 2014 the BBC reported on an investigation into an allegation of child sex abuse in the 1980's against Cliff Richard and broadcast live video from a  helicopter of a raid on his home.   The investigation was later dropped for lack of evidence.

A High Court judge said today his privacy was violated by the video of the police raid as well as the use of his name by the BBC.

The High Court in London ruled initial damages of 210-thousand pounds with 65 percent to be paid by the BBC and the rest by the South Yorkshire Police that provided news tips to the BBC about their investigation into Richard and the raid on his home.

Richard settled earlier with the South Yorkshire Police for 400-thousand pounds.

The BBC said it is considering an appeal of today's decision.

In Las Vegas tomorrow the sentencing hearing for Todd Engel, convicted last year in connection with the April 2014 standoff near Cliven Bundy's ranch in Nevada, is set.   Charges against Bundy, his sons and other key defendants in the case have been dropped because of what US District Judge Gloria Navarro called 'flagrant misconduct' for withholding evidence from the defense including details of federal law enforcement snipers placed in the area of the ranch.

Engel is appealing to be freed from prison and appealing his conviction.  Now Judge Navarro will have to consider what to do next at tomorrow's hearing and there's hope she will release Engel  instead of imposing a sentence.

Two other men remain jailed in connection with the case.   Greg Burleson, convicted last year with a 68 year sentence and Jerry Delemus, who pled guilty and was sentenced to 87 months.

Philadelphia's sweet drink tax is legal.   That's the ruling from Pennsylvania's Supreme Court.  It was a 4-2 ruling by the elected court that is dominated politically by Democrats.

The tax brought 79 million dollars into the city's government last year and now the city says the court ruling will allow the money to be spent.

California's Supreme Court has removed a ballot measure from this fall's election that would have divided California into three states.  The court will now review the ballot measure which is being challenged by an environmentalist group before making a final judgement on whether the measure will appear in a future election or not.

In eastern Syria, the US backed Syrian Democratic Forces say they've taken 16 villages and towns in an 11-hundred square kilometer area from Islamic State.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says the remains of Americans killed in the Korean War will be returned in the coming weeks.   This is part of an agreement reached between President Trump and North Korean ruler Kim Jong Un at their summit last month in Singapore for the return of service members remains.

Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel is not taking her usual summer holiday in the Italian Alps.
There's plenty of speculation in political circles about the meaning of her decision,  She's gone there with her husband Joachim Sauer since 2008.  But this year only her husband and his son from a previous marriage are booked at the usual hotel, according to a German newspaper.

No comment from Merkel's office about the matter.  Some speculate she may need to stay in Germany because her hold on power is tenuous.  Merkel and her husband will do something together they usually do this summer, attend the Wagner Festival in Bayreuth.

TOMMY ROBINSON BREAKING:  HIGH COURT HEARS APPEAL,  RULING BY END OF MONTH

Three judges of the UK's High Court heard the appeal of Tommy Robinson's lawyers (four of them) in London today.   They said they will rule by the end of the month.

A delegate of the Attorney General's office provided input to the court against Tommy Robinson.

Tommy Robinson himself was linked via video from his prison to the hearing.

The judges heard arguments against Robinson's recent conviction as well as a suspended sentence conviction from last year at another British courthouse used to justify his recent sentence.

Robinson was arrested in Leeds, England May 25th and sent to jail within hours for contempt of court with a 13 month sentence.   He was livestreaming a video outside of a child sex abuse trial involving Muslim defendants.

There have been a rash of such cases reported in the UK with authorities accused of trying to hide the cases from the public, limit punishment in cases discovered and even ignoring situations involving sex abuse of children by Muslim gangs for "cultural" reasons.

Supporters of Robinson were on hand including Ezra Levant of Rebel Media in Canada and Gerard Batten, leader of UKIP.   Batten was set to be interviewed tonight on BBC's "Newsnight" planning a double hit piece on Robinson and UKIP, now rising in the polls amidst the Brexit controversy.

Protesters were outside the court building for many hours today.

The original date for today's appeal was July 10th, then July 24th because government lawyers said they weren't ready, then it got moved back to today with a three judge panel instead of one as originally planned.

Link below,,,,,,,

THE REBEL MEDIA EZRA LEVANT REPORTS 7/18/2018

                     NEWS SUMMARY AT THIS HOUR

President Trump told the mainstream news media today that he agrees with the notion of the intelligence community that Russia interfered in the 2016 elections.   He responded to the media frenzy over comments he made after his meeting Monday with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Tonight Trump tweeted that "the meeting between President Putin and myself was a great success, except in the Fake News Media!"

In Nicaragua today government police and paramilitaries assaulted an opposition controlled neighborhood in the city of Masaya.   Three were reported killed, dozens wounded with opposition youth being hauled away by the government forces.

More than three hundred have been killed in protests that began April 19th against the left-wing government of President Daniel Ortega.  Opponents say that the elected government is corrupt and repressive and that Ortega and his wife the vice-president should leave office and elections be moved to an earlier date.

The US State Department has condemned the government's actions against opponents.

The government of British Prime Minister Theresa May survived close votes tonight on key amendments that would have gutted her controversial approach to Brexit.

The government only won by six votes when challenged by pro-European Union members of the House of Commons who pushed a plan to keep the UK in the EU Customs Union after Brexit.

One amendment that did pass narrowly will keep the UK in the EU regulatory regime for pharmaceutical products after Brexit.  Four opposition Labor members voted with the Conservative government members to make that happen.

Parliament is set for a Thursday summer adjournment pushed forward by the government fearing some votes on the floor may go against it.

There is a 'cease fire' between Israel and Hamas ruled Gaza following last weekends rocket barrage

but incendiary devices launched from Gaza using balloons and kites continue to land in southern Israel.

At least 17 fires reported today with one device landing in a kindergarten.   No injuries reported.

Israel's  Education Minister Naftali Bennett, leader of the Jewish Homeland Party, says "its better to be condemned by the world for killing those who launch incendiary kites that mourn our children who might get hurt in kindergartens".   Bennett was quoted by Israel's "Ynetnews".

Reports from Israel point to a Friday deadline for Hamas to stop the incendiary device launches or face Israeli military action in Gaza.

Syrians trying to flee fighting waving white flags approached Israeli positions in the Golan Heights today.   A Twitter page for "Instant News Alerts" reported the news showing a picture of such a group saying that Israeli soldiers had to warn the group away.

An intense government offensive against opposition forces including Islamic State and Al Qaeda jihadists in Quneitra region is said to be making progress according to pro-Syrian government sources. The expected Syrian government victory there will bring the Syrian army back to face Israeli forces in the Golan Heights.

Tonight rocket sirens went off in the Golan area of Israel.  It turned out to be a false alarm.

At least three are dead after a midair collision involving two planes from a Miami flight school.

The collision occurred this afternoon nine miles west of the Miami Executive Airport over the Everglades.  Police are investigating whether there was a fourth fatality.

The owner of the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas is suing more than 1,000 victims of the mass shooting that killed 58 people last October.   MGM Resorts International's suit is aimed apparently at avoiding liability over shooter Steven Paddock's shooting from the hotel into a music festival crowd below.

Authorities still have not announced a motive for Paddock's action saying they have no evidence to point to a motive.

"Forbes" magazine says that Jeff Bezos fortune rose to 151.4 billion dollars Tuesday.   Its a new record for Bezos and all billionaires according to "Forbes".   Amazon's "Prime Day" sale for Amazon Prime members fueled the growth in the fortune of Bezos, who also owns "The Washington Post".

OREGON STANDOFF BREAKING:  JUDGE DISMISSES SOME CHARGES AGAINST FBI AGENT ACCUSED OF LYING ABOUT SHOOTING AT LAVOY FINICUM

With jury selection slated to start next Tuesday, US District Judge Robert E. Jones suddenly moved today to dismiss two of the five counts against FBI Agent W. Joseph Astarita.  Astarita is accused of lying about shooting at Oregon Standoff protester LaVoy Finicum moments before  Oregon State Police killed him.

Jones dropped one of two counts of making a false statement saying Astarita's flippant remark to a supervisor who asked "Did you shoot?" which was either "You don't got to ask me that, bro" or "You know you can't ask me that now".   The judge said the remark did not constitute a false statement.

Judge Jones also dropped one of three counts of obstruction of justice related to a group interview of all five FBI Hostage Rescue agents at the shooting scene.   The supervisor said in that interview that none of the agents fired shots.  Astarita did not speak.   The judge says his silence at the interview cannot be considered obstruction of justice.

Astarita still faces one count of making a false statement and two of obstruction of justice.

Earlier in the pre-trial process the judge said in court that while the five charges may be redundant as the defense lawyers were alleging, he was not going to drop any of them.  He actually said the jury should decide on the merits of the charges in the end.

Interesting development coming days after President Donald J. Trump's pardon of the Hammonds.  Judge Jones was responsible for detention of those arrested during the Oregon Standoff and met Ammon Bundy and his brother Ryan in a jail cell.

Ammon Bundy has posted on Facebook his opinion that Agent Astarita won't see a day in jail when its all said and done.

Astarita's trial begins a week from Tuesday on July 24th in Portland with jury selection set to get underway in the morning.   The trial expected to last four weeks.


Link below.....


.OREGON LIVE MAXINE BERNSTEIN STORY 7/16/2018


(EDITED SHORTLY AFTER PUBLICATION TO RECALL JUDGE'S EARLIER VIEW ON THE FIVE CHARGES BEING REDUNDANT)

                    NEWS SUMMARY AT THIS HOUR

Syrian government media says that Israel attacked an airbase southwest of Aleppo tonight.   The foreign government funded Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says warehouses near the base used by Iranian militias and the Syrian army were hit.   The group reports that five were killed in the attack involving multiple aircraft.

The attack comes on the eve of a summit meeting between the President of Syria's close ally Russia, Vladimir Putin, and President Donald Trump.

Topics like Syria, Iran, Ukraine and other matters will be on the table at the Trump-Putin Summit in Helsinki, Finland.   The President says he has low expectations for the summit.

On Friday Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein announced indictments of 12 Russian intelligence officers accused of hacking.   Trump told CBS News he may ask Putin to extradite the 12 to the United States.

Meanwhile, there's talk in Washington of an impeachment document being filed this week in the House involving Rosenstein.   Former Trump strategist Steve Bannon told Nigel Farage in a Sunday interview on Farage's radio show that he thinks any moves to impeach Rosenstein will lead to the President firing the Deputy Attorney General.

Masked government police and paramilitary forces attacked opposition neighborhoods in the southern Nicaraguan city of Masaya today, with ten killed and twenty injured.   That's what the Nicaraguan Association for Human Rights reports in what they say is a preliminary estimate of casualties.

Over 300 have been killed in two months of protests against the elected leftist government of President Daniel Ortega, accused of running a corrupt and repressive regime.

The Catholic Bishops conference in Nicaragua issued a statement late Saturday saying the government is refusing to "dialogue sincerely and look for real processes that lead us toward a true democracy".

Less than 24 hours after a man was shot by police in Chicago, body cam video was released.

Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson is urging the public to view the video of the Sautrday incident.

It shows a police officer grabbing Harith Augustus by the arm.  Augustus is then seen spinning away from a group of police officers running into the street and reaching for a gun in his waistband.

He was then shot by police.

The shooting angered neighborhood residents who then gathered in the streets.  There were shoving incidents between the residents and police.

In London Monday former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson is set to make a speech in Parliament dubbed his "resignation speech".   Johnson's speech could mark the beginning of a serious challenge to Prime Minister Theresa May's leadership of the Conservative Party.

Another junior cabinet minister in Theresa May's government, Robert Courts, resigned on Sunday.  Courts, who is member of the House of Commons, said he could not face his constituents back home and tell them he supported May's Brexit plan.

Italy will now allow some migrants from two ships to come ashore in Italy.  That's the word from Interior Minister Matteo Salvini during an interview with RAI state television on Sunday.  Salvini had earlier refused to allow the 450 migrants to come ashore in Italy but after Malta, France and Germany agreed to take some of them he now says Italy will take in some, too.

Other nations have also stepped in to help, according to a tweet from Italy's Prime Minister.  Giuseppe Conte.   Conte says that Portugal and Spain will each take 50 migrants.

The head of Boeing says he's concerned about tariffs imposed by the United States and China hurting his company.  Dennis Muilenberg says that  "aerospace thrives on free and open trade".   Muilenberg spoke to reporters ahead of the Farnborough Airshow in the UK.  He says there been discussions with both the Chinese and US governments about the trade dispute and that those governments are listening.

France defeated Croatia 4-2 to win the World Cup of soccer in Moscow Sunday.  This is the second time France was won a World Cup.

Large crowds celebrated in Paris Sunday evening setting off smoke bombs.    There was some looting and rioting reported late at night.   Police responded with water cannon and tear gas.

                     NEWS SUMMARY AT THIS HOUR

The barrage of rockets into Israel from Gaza continued into the early morning hours of Sunday.

It all began Friday night and Israel has responded with air strikes into Gaza aimed at targets of the Hamas terrorist organization that rules there.

Four Israelis were injured in the attacks by some 200 plus rockets including three in a synagogue on the Sabbath.   Two were killed in Gaza in the Israeli attacks in response.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that if Hamas didn't get the message from Saturday's military response, they will get it on Sunday.

The Israel Defense Forces have announced military drills across the country next week.

Thousands gathered in central London for the latest "Free Tommy Robinson" rally Saturday.  An international group of speakers addressed the protest including US Congressman Paul Gosar of Arizona who said when he first heard about the case of Tommy Robinson he "could not remain silent".

Gosar said "we want Tommy out".

Leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party, Gerard Batten, argued that calling Robinson a 'lawbreaker' reminds him of others who 'broke the law' but are considered heroes like the suffragettes of the UK, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and finally he noted that "Robin Hood broke the law".

Batten asked the crowd:  "Who's side would you rather be on, Robin Hood or the Sheriff of Nottingham?"

There's a new public opinion poll out in the UK showing a sharp rise in support for UKIP and a decline in support for Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservative Party.   The poll shows support for UKIP at 8 percent and the Conservatives at 36 percent.  The Labor Party leads with 40 percent of the vote.

This new poll follows the public release of a Brexit negotiating position that was described by many observers including President Trump as something that the people did not vote for in the 2015  Brexit referendum when YES won.

It also follows the resignation of two senior cabinet ministers and some junior cabinet ministers from the government.

May has resorted to writing an article in the "Mail On Sunday" newspaper warning that unless her government is supported, there may be no Brexit.

In an exclusive British TV interview with Piers Morgan of ITV,  President Donald Trump says he intends to run for re-election in 2020 and he doesn't see any Democrat who can beat him.

The Prime Minister of Haiti has resigned after deadly street protests in recent days.  Four were killed with shops being looted as rioters came out against plans to increase the price of fuel.

The International Monetary Fund was pushing for an end to fuel subsidies so money could be diverted to health, education and job creation.

The government has backed down temporarily on the fuel price increase but says it will bring it back once a new Prime Minister is selected.   Opposition politicians say protests will resume if the fuel price hike plan is brought back.

Masked paramilitary forces assaulted a  church in Managua, Nicaragua early Saturday where anti-government student protesters were holed up.  At least 2 students were killed with others injured.   Catholic bishops secured the release of the students in the church.

The death toll from two months of protests against the left-wing government of President Daniel Ortega has now gone over 300.   The opposition says the elected government has become corrupt and repressive.

A recent uptick in violence in Northern Ireland's second city of Londonderry appeared to spread Friday night to the western part of the main city of Belfast with attacks on the homes of former Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams and  another Sinn Fein activist.  Devices believed to be commercial or industrial fireworks were used with a car set on fire.

Adams says that those who attacked his home should 'have the gumption and guts' to meet him and explain their actions.   Militant Irish Republicans who don't support the Sinn Fein participation in the peace process are believed to behind the recent violent incidents.

McDonalds has pulled salads from three thousand restaurants in 14 states.   The salads were linked to gastrointestinal illnesses in Iowa and Illinois.   Iowa's health department says 15 people in that state reported illnesses after eating the salads late last month and at the beginning of this month.

A woman in Saudi Arabia has been arrested after she hugged a singer at a concert.  Although laws have been liberalized to allow women to attend public events, they are not allowed to mix with men they are not related to and must adhere to a strict code of dress.

The woman arrested was wearing a niqab, with only her eyes being visible.